


The Dahlia Murray Case

by MrsMendes19



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-13
Updated: 2019-03-13
Packaged: 2019-11-16 14:58:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 1,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18096578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrsMendes19/pseuds/MrsMendes19
Summary: When a young woman was found dead in her home, Sherlock is called to figure out who killed her.Will he use his deductions and mind palace to find the killer?





	1. John finds a case

It was a quiet day at 221B, there was only the sound of Sherlock’s violin to be heard as he composes his new song. I was reading a book in the living room, warming myself next to the fireplace. John was sitting across from me, reading a newspaper. I look up from my book to see John lowering the newspaper.  
“Something the matter, John?”  
“Hmm, oh no. I just think that I found a case.”  
“Oh?”  
“Yeah, here. Look.”  
He gets up off his chair and walks over to me, folding the newspaper and handing it to me. I read the headline.  
‘Daliah Murray, found dead in her home this morning’  
“I don’t think that it’s a case for us John.”  
“We could at least have a look.”  
“Well, show Sherlock. See what he thinks.”  
I hand him the newspaper and watch him walk over to Sherlock. He hands Sherlock the newspaper and they talk for a couple of minutes before John walks back over to me.  
“Sherlock thinks that we should have a look.”  
“Okay then. Is he coming?”  
“Yeah.”  
I saw Sherlock enter the room. I close my book and get up off my chair.  
“So, what’s the address?”  
Just as Sherlock was about to reply, his phone rang. Lestrade was on the other end.  
“Yes, Lestrade. We were just about to leave and have a look at it. Meet you there in 10 minutes.”  
Sherlock hangs up the phone and puts on his coat and scarf. John and I do the same before the 3 of us walk out the door into the cold air.


	2. Arriving at Dahlia's home

As the cab pulls up in front of Daliah’s house, we saw that she lived in luxury, she lived in a big two storey house. I pay the driver and follow Sherlock and John through the gate. We stop when we heard a car pull up behind us, we turn to see Lestrade get out of the car.  
“When did you guys get here?”  
“About a minute ago.”  
We all walk to the door and I press the doorbell. We wait a few moments before the door opens, and we are greeted by, what looks like, a butler.  
“Please, come in.”  
We step inside, wiping our feet on the mat as we enter. The butler leads us to the body of Daliah, lying on the bed. Sherlock takes out his small magnifying glass and starts examining the body. John and I try our luck, questioning the butler.  
“So, did you find her like this?”  
“I did, yes. I was bringing her breakfast.”  
“What time was this?”  
“About 7 am.”  
“And did you call the police straight away?”  
I didn’t hear the butler’s answer as I saw Sherlock move away from the body, I excuse myself and walk over to him.  
“Is everything alright?”  
“I’m not sure. There are no signs of forced entry or a struggle.”  
“What are you thinking?”  
“Either she was murdered, or she took something and committed suicide.”  
“But you said there were no sign of a struggle or forced entry.”  
“Doesn’t rule out a murder.”  
“True.”  
Sherlock walks over to the butler and gives him a look from top to bottom. From the look on Sherlock’s face, I could tell that he was deducing the butler, figuring out everything that he could. I touch Sherlock’s arm to bring him back to reality. He slightly shakes his head before turning on his heels and walking out of the room. John, Lestrade and I were quick to follow, we quickly caught up to him.  
“Sherlock, hey. Is everything okay?”  
“No. I have a theory that the butler did it.”  
Lestrade laughs.  
“Like in the movies?”  
“Oh Lestrade, you are so narrow minded.”  
Lestrade looked shocked but not surprised that Sherlock had said that.  
Sherlock stops for a minute, he closes his eyes.  
“Sherlock, what are you doing?”  
I walk towards Lestrade.  
“I think he’s going into his Mind Palace.”  
“His what?”  
“Lestrade, would you please be quiet?”  
“Sherlock, we don’t have time for this!”  
“Greg, please let him be.”  
Sherlock takes his time to go to his Mind Palace and tries to piece all the information together. Once he was back in reality, we watch as he walks back to the front door. The butler opens the door and Sherlock pushes past him, into the house. We were quick to follow him, as I pass the butler I quickly apologize and follow John into Daliah’s bedroom.   
We stand back as Sherlock looks at Dahlia’s body and everything surrounding her.  
“Holly, could you come here for a minute?”  
I walk over to him and await my instructions.  
“No signs of a forced entry. So, the killer must have been inside the house already or had a key to get in.”  
“Yeah.”  
“And who is the only person here, apart from Daliah?”  
“The Butler, do you really think that he did it?”  
“He is the number one suspect at the moment.”  
“Okay, well we don’t really have that much evidence to prove that he did it.”  
“You may not but I have. When we walked in, he seemed like he was out of breath. He was trying to hide that he was out of breath but he really wasn’t fooling anyone. Why was he out of breath?”  
“Maybe he was cleaning the house?”  
“Cleaning the house? After a murder?”  
“He could have been getting rid of evidence.”  
“Like what?”  
“Like poison, or pills of some sort?”  
“Good thinking Holly. Look around.”  
“What am I looking for?”  
“A spillage or anything resembling pills.”  
“He may not have bought them up here.”  
“Look anyway.”  
Sherlock and I search the whole bedroom. When I looked under the bed, I found a bottle of prescription pills and another empty bottle.  
“Sherlock.”  
I hand him the bottles and he examines them. The prescription bottle was for sleeping pills but the other bottle caught Sherlock’s attention. This bottle had no markings at all, no labels no nothing. Sherlock took the lid of the bottle and sniffed it, immediately regretting it. He holds the bottle in his hand and walks over to the butler.  
“Do you know what this is?”  
“What…oh…no, no I don’t.”  
“Are you sure about that?”  
“Yes…pretty sure.”  
“I’m sure Daliah wouldn’t have a bottle of Vymine just lying around. This is a very strong poison. One drop of it could kill 200 people.”  
“Could it? I wouldn’t know.”  
“Of course not. Why would you?”  
“I beg your pardon?”  
“Oh forget it.”  
While Sherlock was with the butler, Lestrade walked over to me.  
“So, what does Mister Mastermind think?”  
“He thinks the butler poisoned Daliah.”  
“Oh really?”  
“Yep.”  
John walks over to us, he had found something very useful.  
“Hey guys look at this.”  
He hands us a cut out of a newspaper, the headline caught my attention.  
‘Butler, accused of murder, walks free!’  
The butler on the newspaper page, was the exact man that Sherlock was talking to.  
“Sherlock, could you come here for a moment?”  
“In a minute.”  
“Umm, Sherlock, right now would be better.”  
Sherlock excused himself and walked over to us, as he approached us I showed him the newspaper article.  
“That’s…..”  
“Yes, Sherlock. It’s him, it’s the same guy.”  
Sherlock looks at the butler before looking back at the newspaper.  
“I have an idea.”  
John, Lestrade and I watch as Sherlock walks back to the butler and shows him the newspaper. The butler looks at Sherlock before dropping the newspaper and running out the door.  
“Really?”  
We start running after the butler, splitting up as we exit the house. I turn a corner and get knocked heavily to the ground. I feel a heavy body on me and look up to see the butler on top of me.


	3. The Butler gets arrested

Remembering what John had taught me about self-defence, I give a swift kick to the butler’s groin area before pushing him away and rolling to the side before quickly getting up. I give him a kick to the chest, knocking the breath out of him.  
“Sherlock, I’ve got him!”  
The butler looks at me before starting to get up. I slowly start backing out to the main street, ready to defend myself if needed. I turn my head to see Sherlock and John running towards me. As I look back to the butler, he was running at me. I tried to get out of the way but he caught me and we fall to the ground again. I use my legs as leverage and throw him over me before rolling on top of him and landing a punch to his ribs.  
As Sherlock and John approach us, I get up and examine my hand. I could see the swelling setting in and I knew that I probably had a broken knuckle or two. I lower my hand and observe as John picks the butler up.   
A car pulls up on the curb and I see Lestrade in the driver’s seat. I open the door and John pushes the butler inside before slamming the door. Lestrade drives off to the police station as Sherlock hails a cab.


	4. A trip to the hospital

We needed to stop at the hospital as my hand really swollen. The nurses confirmed my suspicion about the broken knuckles but luckily I didn’t need surgery, just a cast. I let the nurses apply the cast and I listened to their instructions as to how to take care of the cast before getting up and walking to the reception. I paid for my treatment and walk to the waiting room, where Sherlock and John were seated.  
“All done?”  
“Yep. I’m ready to go home now.”  
Sherlock got up and walked over to me and examined my cast.  
“Poor Holly.”  
“Sherlock, I’ll be fine. Let’s go home.”  
Sherlock pulls on his coat before looking over at John. John gets up and leads the way out of the hospital.


	5. Arriving back at 221B Baker Street

We arrive at 221B ten minutes later and I walk straight to the kitchen to make some tea. Once the tea was ready, I place it on a tray and carry the tray to the living room.  
“So Sherlock, how did you figure out that he did it?”  
“It was simple really. When we arrived, I noticed that he was out of breath. Now, why would a butler be out of breath, you ask. Well, there could be several reasons. One, he was busy cleaning the house but who would clean the house after a murder unless he was getting rid of evidence that might convict him. Second, he could have been doing some running, very unlikely as he was still dressed in his butler suit. Next, when I was questioning him, he was sweating profusely, meaning that he was trying to come up with a lie to my questions, clearly implying that he had something to do with Daliah’s death. He was the number one suspect from the beginning. I noticed that there were no sign of forced entry or a struggle, so he had to have done it.”  
“Nice deduction Sherlock.”  
“I agree with Holly, you did amazing.”  
“Don’t I always?”  
Sherlock picked up a cup of tea and started drinking it. I shake my head at him before starting to drink my own cup of tea. After tea, everyone went off to do their own thing, whether it was reading a newspaper to composing a new song to relaxing on the couch reading a book. I will never get tired of Sherlock or his deduction, and I’m sure neither will John.

The end.


End file.
